Yesterday, the Swedish cross-country national team announced that there will be no more competitions for Sweden in the World Cup this year.

- It was an extremely difficult decision to make but the medical situation was absolutely crucial.

I have met a lot of active people from other sports who have contracted serious infections, knowing that we do not want to expose our skiers to the risk of becoming infected, said national team doctor Per "Pliggen" Andersson to SVT Sport.

Yesterday, the alpine national team announced that Anna Swenn-Larsson had tested positive for covid-19.

But the national team, where the ladies were quarantined in Levi, does not intend to cancel the World Cup this year.

- We made a decision very early on to carry out the World Cup season.

The competition planning was also redesigned internationally.

Ladies and gentlemen do not meet, technology and speed are separated.

We have another competition program this year, says Eliasson Winter and continues:

- Cross-country skiing is, I do not know if the expression is correct, a respiratory sport.

Lungs and trachea are very exposed from the beginning.

There we do not have the same risk for that type of far-reaching consequences.

The national length team travels around as a unit, we have a tradition of traveling around in many small units.

Those interplayed components make us feel safe to travel and compete.

"In a damn difficult situation"

But there is still a concern in the alpine national team.

- At the same time, of course, we are always worried.

We live in a damn difficult situation.

But you are almost safer in the bubble in sports, compared to going home and being a part of ordinary society.

We are very confident in the competition bubble, the facilities where we compete are closed.

So we do not consider that environment to be the big risk, says Eliasson Winter and continues:

- The big risk is between the competitions, when we train or travel.

Or how we live, that is, the things we can not control so easily.

We have reasoned a bit.

Of course, there is an increased risk of moving across Europe to compete.

But it is important for those who compete, our sport and as inspiration for the young people that we keep the ecosystem around sports running.

That elite sports take place.

KLIPP: The expert: "Riders are safer in an elite bubble than at home"

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Anders Blomquist.

Photo: Bildbyrån